Stories Untold

Chapter Twenty-One: If I Fall

If someone would have told me a few days ago that I would be hauling ass across the battlements to escape an elf that wasn't much taller than me, I would have told them they were fucked up in the head. Right now on the other hand? I had to find a safe place to hide.

I could hear laughing several feet behind. "You little shit!" Sera was gaining on me.

Let me explain what's going on. The day before this little fiasco we ended up starting a prank war. She caught me trying to put honey all over her bed. It would have been funny, if she hadn't come in the door while I was going out the window.

So here I am, running from a crazy elf. Trying like hell not to get caught. Cullen's door was almost directly in front of me. I still haven't given him back his fur collar. I wore it everywhere and while I'd like to say it was to force him to come ask for it, that wasn't the reason. I hadn't wanted to give it back after the fade. Talk about weird.

I was about to have no choice but to give it back. That door looked like the greatest thing I had ever seen in my life. It was salvation from a lesbian elf trying to tickle me. Not happening. I hate being tickled and I'm just not into girls. No matter how pretty I think they are.

I smacked into the door, went through it, slammed it in her face, and locked it. Breathing hard, I slumped down to the floor. Sera was beating on the door yelling about how unfair it was that I wasn't afraid to go in there and lock the door on her. Like I had a choice.

I looked up slowly and saw Cullen staring at me. "Hi," I squeaked. "I'm just going to hide here until she leaves and I can escape."

"Dare I ask?" he said slowly, not really as a question.

"You just did," I grinned. Oh, this was awkward.

He actually quirked a smile at me. "Getting yourself into trouble so soon?"

"Not trouble," I told him. "It's a game. I got caught and had to haul ass. I think I got to see more of Skyhold today than I ever have."

Cullen actually laughed. That was not something I had ever heard from him. "Feel free to hide here then." He shot a brief look at the fur collar. "Any chance you'll give that back?"

"Oh well, now that you ask," I said, nonchalant. "No. I don't think I will." I really hoped he didn't push it any further. The thought of losing it sent anxiety shooting through me. I had some bad problems.

He made a face at me that said that he wanted it back, but didn't want to ask again. "Any particular reason why?" he asked, slowly.

Sure! I wanted to say. I have serious mental issues and it helped me not lose my shit in the fade. So I don't feel particularly inclined to give it back and lose the little comfort it gives me. That, and I have the biggest crush on you. So there. I'm not giving it back.

Instead I said, "It's just funny. You know where it is, but you can't wear it."

"Sounds reasonable enough," Cullen sighed. I had the feeling he was getting tired of my 'game'. "You might want to lock the other doors if you're hiding here."

I gave him a suspicious look, but locked the doors. "You're up to something. I can tell."

He laughed. "I think this is the first time we've held an actual conversation."

I thought about it for a second. Yeah, he wasn't stuttering. There was something wrong there. I tried to reply, but someone knocked on the door I came in through. I gave the door scathing look. It better not be Sera. It turned out to be a soldier delivering a report. Oh how the rumors would be flying after this! I didn't really care. I probably should, but I didn't. I asked the guy if he'd Sera snooping around. He said he hadn't. Either she was up to something or she was drunk already. I hoped she was drunk already.

I sent the soldier off to find out for me, but told him not to talk to her or it could give me away. Cullen couldn't understand why I didn't just get it over with and leave. I wasn't going to tell him that I had a legit fear of being tickled. It wasn't funny. It actually hurt.

Soldier boy came back and told me she was drunk. I had won! Sera had given up and I had won!

"Eh," was all I said. "I didn't think she'd make it that easy. Now she's going to forget what I did and that makes it all the better. So, um... I'm gonna go now." I dipped out and headed for dinner with my friends.

The next day the chase was on again. This time I didn't have time to lock the door behind me and ended up running through Cullen's tower four or five times. On my sixth round Sera was way behind me, but there were a bunch of people in the room. Hunter gave me a curious look, but didn't say anything. He waved me over and I hid behind him, Leliana, and Cullen. Sera ran through, but didn't see me. I wasn't going to get out of there any time soon.

Things ended up not working out for me though. Everyone left eventually and I didn't think to lock the doors. I thought I had a while. I was leaning over the map laid out on Cullen's desk when Sera snuck up on me. Cullen could have warned me. I was getting him back. No doubt about that. She dug her fingers into my sides and that was the end of poor Korbin. I got one good kick in on her before she ran off.

I just lay in the floor, breathing hard. Basically pretending to be dead. My lungs hurt. My sides hurt. I shuddered. I hate being tickled.

Cullen looked over his desk at me. "Are you alright?"

"No," I wheezed. I gotta give it to him, he tried to help me up. It just ended with both of us on the floor in an awkward position. "This is not how imagined this going."

"I... I think..." Cullen stuttered pitifully. "I am extremely embarrassed."

I actually laughed at that, but it was short lived. Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. I looked past where Cullen's arms were on either side of my head and spotted Dorian. "Hi Dorian," I said with a big grin. "What brings you here?" Cullen dropped his head, hiding it in the fur.

"Certainly not this," the mage laughed. "I heard that Sera ended your little game and came to find you since you wouldn't have to hide anymore. This is certainly interesting."

"It was an accident," came a muffled and pained reply from the fur.

"Oh I'm sure it was," Dorian said with a smug smile. "The two of you would never be this close otherwise."

By this point my eyes were sealed shut. I was already so embarrassed I thought I was going to die. "Dorian, you're not helping."

"Of course not," he replied. "But we have a problem now."

"And what might that problem be?" Cullen ground out.

Dorian laughed. "Why, I think I'm going to call a few friends up to see this. Unless..."

"Spit it out, Dorian," I snapped, eyes still closed.

"Why didn't you just say so!" he said gleefully. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like what he had to say. "All Cullen has to do is kiss you and I'll go away!"

Cullen was very, very still. I felt like I could have died on the spot. Did he really just say that? Really? I mean, it's not like Cullen would actually do it. I don't think he liked me like that. I was going to say something to Dorian. I really was. The thing is, I didn't get the chance.

"I am afraid I will have to pass on your clever plan," Cullen finally said.

"Well," I snipped. "Don't I feel special? After all there's no telling where I've been!"

Cullen stuttered and tried to salvage the situation.

"Relax!" I laughed. "I'm just messing with you. Now, if you don't mind, we've already had one conversation about how much metal hurts. So, can you... I don't know? Get off me?"

Dorian cackled. I don't think I've ever heard that noise out of him.

Hours later I was flopped out on the bar muttering to myself about how much of an ass cheese those two were. I was drunk and still mostly embarrassed.

I found myself flanked by Bull and Krem. They didn't talk and didn't really even bother with my mumbling. I spotted Varric across the room, but he was joined by the two people I didn't want to talk to. They were probably arguing over what actually happened in the tower.

I looked over at Bull. "Can you do me a favor?"

He seemed to contemplate it. "Sure, what do you need?"

I took off the fur collar and handed it to him. Anxiety be damned. "Give this back to Cullen. I suddenly don't feel like playing anymore." I got up and walked out. No, I really didn't feel like it. Can't blame a girl for feeling like she got the short end of the stick, right? I wasn't above wallowing in self pity, but this was just... hell, I don't even know. I'd be laughing about this shit tomorrow.

I passed Sera heading for the tavern. She asked me to come drink with her. I just sort of flailed an arm at her. I wasn't in the mood. Actually, if we're being honest, I was already too drunk. I would be hiding under a ton of blankets tomorrow trying to block out the noise and light.

I accidentally ended up in Vivienne's little area overlooking everything. We still didn't get along, but she had a nice view up there. So I braved the scathing comments about my breeding.

When she saw me she let out a sigh, but due to recent events she didn't say anything too untoward. "What are you doing here?"

"I figured you wouldn't ask too many questions and would just insult me," I said. "I can ignore that well enough."

Her mouth thinned in irritation. "Even I can respect those that are mourning lost friends."

I sighed. I didn't offer anything for her to latch on to.

"What?" she asked in the condescending tone of hers. "Find out that it wasn't Hunter that gave you that armor?"

"Ha ha," I sneered. "Very funny. I actually already knew that. I don't care anymore. I might not like who it is."

"Poor Cullen went through all that trouble and you don't even care," she shook head in disapproval.

I gave her funny look. "You're kidding right? Well hell, you're not. I guess I owe that bastard." I wandered off with a drunken smile.